Dyche - Clarets fans can dare to dream

Dare to dream was the mantra as Burnley fought to gain promotion to the Premier League for the first time in 2009.

There was even a song released, written by nine-year-old Jasmine Clarkson and Andrew Gilmour, with over 400 fans providing backing vocals to the track.

Fast forward nine years, and supporters are dreaming of a foray into Europe for the first time in over 50 years.

Indeed, if Burnley beat Stoke City at Turf Moor tonight, they will go into the Champions League places, for 24 hours at least.

Boss Sean Dyche has no problem with fans singing from the rooftops about their high hopes, but he admits he will stay grounded in reality for now.

Dyche said: “Dreams are for fans, without doubt, that’s part the magic of football.

“Reality is for managers, that’s what I think.

“Delivering what you can deliver is important, but you want dreams, to see your team giving everything and getting accolades and wins.

“That’s what fans want, and I think they’re really enjoying the journey of Burnley since I’ve been here, I don’t get many who question the whole thing.

“My job is to look at the realities, but the positive side of the realities.

“There is a challenge in the Premier League, it’s an unforgiving place, but the positive side is our players are getting more assured, growing and understanding it better.

“They’re delivering better performances.

“But you always want that, fans to be open-minded about the what ifs, the possibilities and probables.

“The possibles are what Leicester did, they kept a mindset of anything is achievable.

“That’s the beauty of the game.

“Man City have a probable chance of winning the league, but it doesn’t mean it’s a given, so all fans should carry on dreaming, but stick with it if there’s some tough times.”

The Clarets sit seventh with 28 points after 16 games, with what many onlookers felt would be a scrap for survival looking an awful long way over their shoulders.

Is it hard for Dyche to keep his and his players’ feet on the ground: “I don’t think so, I speak to enough Burnley people who are well aware of the complexities of the Premier League, they know it’s still a big challenge.

“What we’re doing is great and they’re enjoying it, but they know...some of our fans will have only seen us in the last four seasons, three in the Premier League and one in a team which won the Championship, so their thoughts will be different to those who were here when we were selling Charlie Austin.

“But if you bring them together, I think there’s a pretty balanced view of it, certainly from the ones I speak to, what we are, what we’re trying to be, the fact we are moving forward, and the rest will take care of itself.”